The invention relates to a reclosable fastener assembly for use with a plastic bag. Specifically, the reclosable fastener assembly with a tear-openable barrier arrangement is sealed to a single film wall of the plastic bag, with the barrier arrangement providing the sealing features of barrier material to the contents of the bag before the barrier arrangement is torn open.
The present invention relates to improvements in the bag-making art and may be practiced in the manufacture of reclosable thermoplastic bags and packages of the kind that may be used for various consumer products. Such reclosable thermoplastic bags or packages often include a seal to contain the package moisture and/or to render the package airtight prior to an initial opening of the bag or package. A reclosable fastener assembly protects any remainder of the product therein after the initial opening.
The indicated art is fairly well developed but nevertheless remains open to improvements contributing to the storing qualities of the reclosable bag. In the prior art, Yaeger (U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,845) discloses a reclosable bag and a method of making the bag. The bag has a reclosable fastener assembly connected to a single wall of film used to make the reclosable bag.
It is also known in the art that the sealant, strength and barrier layers of barrier material provide a much higher shield to the transmission of gases and water vapor than other films used in bag manufacturing. An improvement in reclosable bags of the type described above would be to provide various barrier arrangements of barrier material as part of the reclosable fastener assembly, thereby enhancing the barrier properties of the reclosable bag.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a fastener assembly and a reclosable bag with the fastener assembly where the fastener assembly is connected to a single film wall of the bag. The fastener assembly generally comprises a strip formed of barrier material having a score line or line of weakness extending along a length of the strip of barrier material with the line of weakness not interfering with the barrier properties of the strip of barrier material. A first interlocking profile is connected to the strip of barrier material and extends parallel to the line of weakness. A mating profile flange is joined to the strip of barrier material on a side of the line of weakness opposite to the first interlocking profile, the mating profile flange including a second interlocking profile mateable with the first interlocking profile. A peel seal feature or closure flange may also be part of the fastener assembly.
In a first use of the fastener assembly with a reclosable bag, a bag is formed from a barrier film material with the bag including front and rear walls, a bottom, top and sides with a line of weakness extending along the bag front wall between the sides. The strip of barrier material of the fastener assembly is joined by a barrier seal to the interior of the bag front wall with the barrier seal encompassing the bag front wall line of weakness and the barrier material line of weakness. In a second use of the fastener assembly, the fastener assembly includes the arrangement of the first use except that the barrier strip includes both interlocking profiles. This is accomplished by the use of an extended barrier strip that bends at an upper section with the two interlocking profiles facing each other on the inner faces of the barrier flange, thereby forming the reclosable fastener portion.
In a third use of the fastener assembly with a reclosable bag, a bag is formed from a barrier film material with the bag including front and rear walls, a bottom, top and sides with a line of weakness extending along the bag front wall between the sides. As part of the fastener assembly, the strip of barrier material is sealed to a flange of the first interlocking profile along a seal line extending between the line of weakness and the first interlocking profile. The strip of barrier material of the fastener assembly is joined by a barrier seal to the interior of the bag front wall and encompasses the bag front wall line of weakness and the barrier material line of weakness.
In a fourth use of the fastener assembly with a reclosable bag, a bag is formed from a barrier film material with the bag including front and rear walls, a bottom, top and sides with a line of weakness extending along the bag front wall between the sides. A barrier seal encompassing the bag wall line of weakness seals the strip of barrier material to an exterior surface of the front wall. A flange of the fastener assembly having the first interlocking profile is connected to an interior surface of the front wall on one side of the bag front wall line of weakness. The mating profile flange is joined to the interior of the front wall on an opposite side of the bag front wall line of weakness.
In a fifth use of the fastener assembly with a reclosable bag, a bag is formed from a barrier film material with the bag including front and rear walls, a bottom, top and sides with a line of weakness extending along the bag front wall between the sides. The strip of barrier material of the fastener assembly is connected to the first interlocking profile. A second profile having a flange is joined to an exterior of the front wall, with the second profile including an interlocking member mateable with the first interlocking profile. A barrier seal encompasses the mateable profiles and the front wall line of weakness, with the barrier seal joining the second profile flange to the front wall on one side of the mateable profiles and the strip of barrier material to the front wall on the opposite side of the mateable profiles. A peel seal joins the barrier strip to the second profile flange on a side of the mateable profiles opposite the line of weakness.
In a sixth use of the fastener assembly with a reclosable bag, a bag is formed from a barrier film material with the bag including front and rear walls, a bottom, top and sides with a line of weakness extending along the bag front wall between the sides. A strip of barrier material of the fastener assembly is connected to the first interlocking profile. A second profile having a flange is joined to an interior of the front wall, with the second profile including an interlocking member mateable with the first interlocking profile. A barrier seal encompasses the mateable profiles and the front wall line of weakness with the barrier seal joining the second profile flange to the front wall on one side of the mateable profiles and the strip of barrier material to the front wall on the opposite side of the mateable profiles. A peel seal joins the barrier strip to the second profile flange on the side of the mateable profiles with the line of weakness. In a seventh use of the fastener assembly with a reclosable bag, the fastener assembly includes the arrangement of the sixth use except that the barrier strip is extended. The extended barrier strip is sealed to the inside of the front on a face of the strip opposite to that of the first interlocking member.